


Check and Mate

by Texan_Red_Rose



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, One Shot Collection, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-09-12 10:13:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16871047
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texan_Red_Rose/pseuds/Texan_Red_Rose
Summary: A collection of one shots for Monochrome. Check individual chapters for notes.





	1. Fortune

**Author's Note:**

> I've been meaning to make this for a while; bear with me as relatively recent and old stuff gets uploaded, please and thanks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Monochrome Week 2018, Day 1: Rags to Riches

Weiss picked up the paper, brows rising as she took note of the sale being advertised for their local supermarket. They’d just done their grocery shopping a week ago but they still had more than enough room for dry storage and freezer space, so it might be worth it to dig through the coupons. Then again, they didn’t have too much wiggle room in the budget, not after putting down the first payment on their new SUV. She’d need to pull out the checkbook and a calculator, see if they could take advantage or just let the sale pass them by.

As she turned to head back into the house, she reached down into her pocket and pulled out her scroll, bringing up the page for Hunter assignments and refreshing it. After they’d worked so hard to eek out a victory over Salem, it never occurred to any of Team RWBY that it might have a drastic effect on the rest of their lives. However, with the broodmother of darkness removed, Grimm numbers dwindled, to the point where the occupation they’d dedicated so much of their youth to pursuing had all but dried up entirely. A sigh left her lips as the page confirmed what she’d feared, that no new Grimm had been spotted in Remnant, and aside from a request for a combat instructor for the Mistrali military, there weren’t any jobs available for her to take.

It chaffed at her, sometimes. A mild annoyance. 

Her skill set veered closer to that of a traditional businesswoman outside of her combat prowess but with her brother now controlling the SDC- and running it into the ground rather spectacularly- and limited options elsewhere, well… she really had her hands tied.

Closing the front door behind her and setting the rest of the mail aside, she took the coupons to the kitchen table before ducking over to the desk they had tucked into the corner, grabbing the checkbook and calculator before returning. She sat down, prepared to crunch numbers to pass the time, but paused for a moment as she caught sight of the picture they had hung up on the wall.

Hardly an hour after the final battle, before the reality that they’d won and survived had sunk in all the way. They were bloodied and ragged and half dead but oh so happy, with Ruby and Yang both sporting mile wide smiles with their arms thrown around their partners’ shoulders, the mangled pieces of the elder’s prosthetic not appearing to dampen her mood in the slightest. Between them, Weiss and Blake slumped against each other, an arm around each other’s waist as they put everything into staying on their feet, offering smiles of their own, though only Blake managed to look at the camera. Weiss was too busy looking at the Faunus beside her, weary from the fight but absolutely alive with their victory fresh in her mind.

For all the troubles they’d encountered since that day, she wouldn’t trade it for the world. Better to struggle now than to be sitting on the brink of extinction and fending off Grimm every day.

Even if it  _did_  make her question some things from time to time.

Shaking her head, Weiss began sifting through their finances and the coupons, setting aside the ones that might be useful with a little mark in the corner. She wouldn’t bother clipping them until she’d talked it over with Blake, especially since this would put them rather tight until the next paycheck came.

She spent so long doing the math, she hardly noticed the passing hours until the door burst open, loud laughter filling the house as the kids raced their way into the dining room.

“We’re home!” Blake called out, a bit late to be an announcement but welcomed all the same, and Weiss had to bite back a laugh as the Faunus stepped into the doorway with one twin attached to each leg while their sisters clamored for Weiss’ attention.

“Mom! Mom!” Their eldest bounced on the tips of her toes beside Weiss’ chair while the baby of their little family practically climbed into her lap, eyes shining with mirth. “You’ll never guess what happened at school today!”

“Oh, I’m sure I won’t, but I’ll try anyway, shall I?” She wrapped her arms around her youngest, ensuring she didn’t accidentally tumble while humming softly. “Did you get a good grade on a test?”

“Nope!”

“Hmmm, they have pizza for lunch?”

“Yeah, but that’s not it!”

“Well, you know, honey, I’m stumped.” Blake finally made her way into the dining room, bending down to press a kiss to the top of her head while looking down at their sons with a wry grin. “Why don’t you tell Mom what happened?”

“I got a girlfriend!”

Weiss blinked while keeping her smile in place, looking down at her ecstatic ten year old daughter for a moment before glancing up at her wife. From her own experience, she knew only of arranged meetings between young people- she vividly recalled her own father introducing her to ‘suitors’ as far back as her eighth birthday- and had little idea of how young was  _too_  young to entertain such things as girlfriends.

But amber eyes gave no indication of worry or concern.

“That’s wonderful, honey.” She looked back down, smiling a little wider. “You’re going to be good to her, right?”

“Uh huh!” Their daughter nodded vigorously. “We held hands all day! I’m gonna be as good as Momma is!”

“Now  _that_  is the perfect benchmark to aim for,” she replied, leaning over to press a kiss to the top of her daughter’s head. “And I’ve no doubt you’ll accomplish it. Just be careful not to let your studies suffer, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Alright, you four, go put your school stuff up. Dinner’s in an hour,” Blake said, managing to gently pry their sons from her legs and usher them towards their rooms, sighing as she returned and plopped down in the chair beside her wife.

“Rough day?” She put a hand on the Faunus’ shoulders, rubbing gently at the tension she found there.

“I talked to my dad,” she replied, passing a hand over her face. “He brought up me becoming Chieftain again.”

“You know it’s not a bad idea,” she said gently, glancing back towards where their children had gone. “You would love a chance to lead the people of Menagerie and everyone loves our children.”

She left unsaid how the majority of the Faunus remained wary of her, blood spilled in the Schnee name not so easily forgiven or forgotten. Weiss couldn’t blame them and wouldn’t; she realized it would take much more than defeating a common enemy to win people over.

Yet, Blake hadn’t taken her father’s position for exactly that reason. Not because she worried how others might react to Weiss- she’d proven time and time again that she would defend her wife against anyone- but because she knew full well how much guilt still rested on Weiss’ heart, how much the failure to reclaim the SDC gnawed at her. Compounding that with constant reminders made her give pause.

However, the former heiress had no such concerns. Yes, it would be difficult, but her wife still had the steel edged resolve that had pushed her to leave home, to leave Adam, to attend Beacon, and to rejoin her team to fight the greatest evil of their time. Weiss had full faith that Blake could do wonderful things if in the right position and she would do whatever it took to support those efforts.

Blake took her hand and looked at her then, biting her lip. “Honestly, with the way bills have gone recently… a steady paycheck would be good.”

“How do you think the kids will take the news?” Weiss glanced back towards the bedrooms again. “Do you think they even notice?”

“Honestly? No.” She chuckled, shaking her head slightly. “They probably don’t. We keep food on the table and Menagerie is just so used to getting by with less than the rest of Remnant.” The Faunus paused, eyes unfocusing. “When I was a kid, before Dad turned over the White Fang to Sienna and we spent most of our time moving from rally to rally, I didn’t even notice. I thought all Faunus lived like that and we were fighting for something better, something I could hardly understand. I never noticed that Dad didn’t eat at every meal to make sure Mom and I had enough or that Mom used any fabric she could get her hands on to make new clothes for me rather than herself.” With a sigh, she sat back in her chair. “I guess that’s part of why I was so mad at the time. It… kinda looked like they’d given up when Dad handed over the White Fang, to go and live just a little bit better while others continued the fight. I didn’t realize until I was older that they sacrificed so much for me and Faunus everywhere and they just reached a point where they could do more good here than out there.”

“I think your experience is something that could benefit everyone, were you to take the position for yourself.” Weiss rubbed a little more firmly. “You still want to fight, to make a difference. This is your chance.”

Sitting back, Blake looked up at the ceiling for a moment, and they could distantly hear their kids beginning to kick up a fuss before they quieted down, likely realizing they’d get in trouble if they started playing before their school work was done.

“What about you?” Her wife looked at her then. “This affects you, too.”

For a moment, she considered the pragmatic concerns. The bills and coupons, the potential backlash, the looks she still got when she went walking around without Blake there to discourage them. But then, it occurred to her how much her life had changed in ten years. She went from being the rich, lonely heiress to a company known the world over for its terrible practices to a woman without a solid means to support herself or her family, and despite how materialistically she’d lost so much… she couldn’t help but feel blessed. Things were difficult now, true, but she had a loving wife and a happy family, a good relationship with her sister and friends who would go to the ends of Remnant for her and she for them. She had love, more love than she’d imagined possible during those cold, lonely days in that too big mansion for a too small little girl.

But for all that had changed, a few specific things certainly hadn’t.

“It does.” Weiss smiled. “And as I’ve said it before: by your side is where I belong. Whatever mission you undertake, I’ll be with you, and even if it takes twenty years, I’ll do everything in my power to earn the respect of your people. We can’t hurry that along but we  _can_  work towards a brighter future.” She reached out, grabbing her wife’s hand. “Isn’t that what we’ve always been trying to do? This seems like the next step.” She shrugged. “But if you’d rather not, I understand. It truly is your decision, Love; I’ll support you either way.”

Even though Blake seemed to be mulling it over still, she could see the shine coming back to amber eyes, the drive to continue fighting for Faunus everywhere stirred once more.

“Mom was a big part of things.” Staring off into the distance, she squeezed Weiss’ hand back. “Even if Dad was officially in charge, Mom did a lot to keep things going. She still does, behind the scenes.  _If_  I take the title, I’ll need help.”

“And you’ll have it.” Once, she believed that a person only succeeded based on their individual merits. Since then, she’d learned and grown so much, though. “Whatever you need, just let me know. I’m sure there’s no challenge in this world that exists that we can’t overcome.”

Her father had once told her something similar, that being a Schnee meant they had more power, influence, and wealth than most could even fathom, and that they would never face a challenge that their riches couldn’t overcome.

He’d been wrong on that front because he didn’t truly understand what enriched a person’s life. It wasn’t money or prestige. It was something far more basic yet somehow so scarce.

Blake’s expression softened as she leaned forward, drawing her into a sweet kiss. “I’ll talk to my Dad tomorrow. I love you, Weiss.”

She smiled at her wife so wide it hurt. “I love you, too.”


	2. Truth and Fiction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Monochrome Week 2018, Day 2: Honesty. But then I got distracted.

Blake bit her lip, staring at the screen for a long minute before shaking her head and sighing. She pushed her chair away from her desk and leaned back, bonelessly sagging in her seat. The next installment of her signature series was due to come out within the next two years and she’d had the document open for the past week, with only the title filling it. Spread out across the desk, she had small booklets of notes for referencing, summaries of past plot points, a literal road map for the current book, but… absolutely no motivation to do any of it.

“What am I going to do?” The words almost echoed through the empty study, just as they rebounded around within the confines of her skull. She’d had her bouts of writer’s block in the past but  _this_  took the cake; she couldn’t even decide where to start, much less  _how_. 

“Ah, the sounds of a writer hard at work.” She looked up as her editor entered the study bearing a tray of food, a kettle, and a cup already steaming with hot tea.

“I haven’t gotten  _one word_  yet,” she replied with a sour frown. “I don’t think that qualifies as ‘hard at work’.”

“Writing is a process, Blake. Even the frustrating parts are necessary steps,” Weiss said while setting the tray down on the only bit of the desk  _not_  cluttered with papers. “So is keeping your energy up. Take a break.”

In the back of her mind, she quite nearly lamented the days when she and the woman were constantly at each other’s throats. They’d only started working together two books ago and it seemed like they spent more time arguing over little things than actually working on the book, discussing themes and overarching plots and cliches and all manner of nitpicks. Clearly, Weiss had read every one of her books, but sometimes the editor’s inner fan got the better of her professionalism, and more often than not those were the times when Blake’s defensiveness kicked in strongest. Not to mention she was dealing with a horrible bout of writer’s block and a recent review had made her doubt the quality of her writing, her own abilities and her vision for the story, and she lashed out at Weiss as being like minded with that reviewer, even though time proved that to not be the case.

But the last few months? Well, they’d become… best friends, almost. She couldn’t quite give that title to anyone aside from Yang, who’d stuck by her side since they were small, but she found herself talking to Weiss about things that had nothing to do with books just as often as they discussed deadlines and tours and the like.

“Blake.” She looked up, seeing that Weiss had brought a chair over so they could eat together- tuna sandwiches, her favorite, and as blatant a pick-me-up as could be used in the situation. “I’m being serious. Take a moment to step back and eat. You’re running yourself ragged.”

“We have to have at least the first chapter done by the end of the week or we won’t get paid.” Another sigh left her lips. “ _I_  have to, I mean, and the longer I take, the less time you have to do your part.”

“Don’t worry about me.” She waved off the concern. “If you think I can’t bully my way into buying some time, you’ve clearly forgotten who you’re dealing with. Regardless, that paycheck can’t be cashed by a dead person, and you’re stretching yourself too thin at present.”

“I appreciate the concern-”

“You’ll appreciate it better on a full stomach.” With a shake of her head, she leaned over, snagging one of the sandwiches and picking up the cup. Chamomile, nice and relaxing, and a rather nice compliment to the tuna. “Can you tell what part is keeping you stuck?”

Blake frowned, looking over at her stack of notes. “I just… can’t seem to get anything going.”

“Well, what’s the first thing Gambol needs to deal with? Any of the plot threads lingering from the other books?”

She bit her lip. Frankly, she had an idea of where to begin, because the last book left off with her heroine taking a break from the freedom fighting to return home and get some much needed perspective. Previous installments had made mention of an old flame lingering and she’d teased a few potential love interests along the way, primarily because she intended to use this installment to develop Gambol’s love life before heading into the tail end of the series…

… she just had no idea  _how_  to introduce the one who would ultimately fall in love with the stalwart heroine. Or… even  _who_  it was, because planning it out had made her lean one way, but now that she’d written so much of the story, her thoughts had… changed.

“I was thinking it might be time for Gambol to have a love interest,” she said, pausing to take a sip of her tea. “She’s earned herself a break from the action. Why not go for something a little softer?”

“It would be an interesting direction to take the story.” Weiss hummed softly. “But I wonder, who could you possibly set her up with? She can’t date just anyone.”

A flicker of a smile passed over her lips; she’d drawn out the fan side of her editor, the part that didn’t care what would sell, but about the story and characters themselves.

“Who do you think it should be?” She tilted her head. “I was thinking about bringing her old flame back-”

“You can’t be serious.” A light scowl came to the woman’s expression. “Their relationship ended so badly. I can understand mending their bond but I don’t think they could ever be together romantically again.”

“And why’s that?”

“Well, a romantic relationship requires a significant amount of trust and open, honest communication. In contrast, Gambol and Rains  _used_  to be close, but I don’t think they’ll ever achieve that amount of trust again. Somewhere in the back of their minds, they’re going to remember that their friendship was sacrificed over something as trivial as minor quibbles, and while overcoming that could help them both grow, I don’t think it’s entirely healthy for them to do that growing together.” Weiss sat back in her seat, nodding almost to herself. “Although, it  _could_  work, if they truly delved deep into the heart of their issues, if they acknowledged their transgressions against the other and did serious work to improve them.”

“Do you psychoanalyze all  _your_  friends, too?” She raised a brow, amused at the way her editor’s eyes rolled.

“While I would  _love_  to delve into the differences between real life and fictional concerns, I think it’s more important to acknowledge that friends are… more often kept to degrees. You have the people whom you call ‘friend’ in passing, because it’s easier than saying ‘that person I happen to know but don’t really make an effort to spend time with’ and then there are those whom you’ve known for years but you couldn’t be sure what to get them for Christmas, if you were obligated to get them something at all.” She made a gesture with her hand. “And then there’s your  _best_  friend, like you and Yang- thick as thieves and tighter than the seam. Yang knows things about you no one else does, and your romantic partner should be on  _that_  level of ‘friend’, and while you can maintain a friendship with others who might never reach that level, basing a romantic relationship around a bond like that doesn’t seem like the optimal choice, am I right?”

“So, who then?” Blake set her tea down. “Her Lieutenant?”

A look of annoyance crossed her expression but the editor shrugged. “They have a good dynamic, I suppose.”

“But?”

“Maybe he can be a little… much? Not that it’s a bad thing…” Weiss hummed again. “I just think Gambol needs someone who is going to fully support her endeavors and, instead of going behind her back when they think she’s in over her head, loudly proclaim that she means that much to them, that they will do whatever it takes to help her, but they don’t want to be pushed away. Gambol has something of a habit of pushing people away, and someone needs to show her that, even if she’s only trying to protect them from the carnage of the war, it’s not right to isolate yourself and lose the battle within. That’s as much part of the books as the actual fighting, and in that arena, Gambol remains the only person on her side. She needs someone in her corner to be not only her fan but her supporter in the literal sense of the word, to help her with her internal troubles as well as her external ones.”

“Oh, like her former smuggling partner?”

“The one she left for dead and hasn’t properly apologized to?” A finger wagged in her face. “Which, by the way,  _that_  needs to be addressed, as well.”

“Okay, okay.” Blake leaned back, chuckling fondly. “All good points. Maybe I should just… leave any attempts at a romantic plotline alone.”

“Now, that’s nonsense.” Weiss got up, pouring her another cup of tea and leaving the kettle while collecting up the remnants of their snack. “This is  _your_  story, you should do what you feel is best for it.”

“What if I don’t  _know_  what’s best for it? What if I don’t even know where to start?”

“Well,  _I_  am not a writer, so I’m afraid my advice would be rather baseless.”  Before leaving the study, the woman shot a look over her shoulder. “But, if I was  _going_  to give advice, I think I’d say something along the lines of: let the characters tell you.”

Blake waited until after Weiss left to let her smile drop, a furrow coming to her brows as she mulled over the words. 

Gambol needed someone, that much she knew- every plotline relied heavily on the heroine continuing to fight through impossible odds and she’d already proven that she needed a good, strong support network in order to face those challenges. Her personal struggles centered around damaged self worth and overcoming her own poor mental image of herself; developing deep friendships and repairing the relationship with her family had done a world of good towards setting her down the right path. Ultimately, Blake wanted to end the series with Gambol standing victorious at the end of the war, with enough of her friends and family surviving to make the victory feel  _real_ , like she’d avoided a fate worse than death because she still had all those she would’ve lost had she remained complacent. But the romantic aspect- that part she wanted for a different reason. Friends and family were far easier to come by, in some respects, than a romantic partner, because both were forged by just the barest of excuses. A shared goal, a shared blood, a shared land- people could bond over anything, if they let themselves, and many characters had once been at least someone antagonistic towards Gambol but were won over by how hard she fought, by her passion and dedication to the cause. Romance, though, required more effort, and very little of it had to do with the war, which she thought would be important to showcase. That, even when it feels like there’s too much on your shoulders, there’s times to pursue little things that make you happy as well. Standing at the end of the journey with such a partner would be a massive victory in and of itself, or so the thought. Having someone standing beside Gambol, someone who’d seen her worst and her best, seen her fight and overcome and fail and break down, having… someone…

Someone like Weiss.

It hit her with the force of a truck. While many had speculated as to whether Gambol’s adventures were merely wish fulfillment on Blake’s part, she’d never confirmed or denied the allegations because, quite honestly, she  _had_  mirrored many of Gambol’s qualities after herself. But, that could be said for the majority of the story thus far, though far more dramatic and interesting than real life, of course.

And part of the reasons she’d struggled to even get started with this installment was because, at the onset, she figured she’d simply take the Pygmalion approach and model the character after what qualities she’d like most in a partner or, if she didn’t feel up to that, go with whichever pairing seemed most popular among fans.

But that was before Weiss. Before she’d met the editor that had no problems bullying her into taking care of herself when she would rather cocoon herself in her covers, but would also bring her tuna sandwiches and tea when she needed the pick-me-up. Before they’d gotten into disagreements where they spent hours or days trying to understand where the other came from only to feel silly that the whole thing had spun out of control in the first place. Before Blake had invited the woman to live with her because bills were a hell of a thing and they could work together easier, with more flexibility this way. Before they’d really gotten to know each other…

Pulling her laptop towards her, Blake began typing furiously, searching through her notes for a moment to find the pages she needed before setting to the task with renewed vigor.

She had her motivation back. She’d found her muse.

* * *

Blake sipped her tea while doing her best not to betray her nerves, watching over the rim of the cup as Weiss read through the first chapter. She had her glasses on- such a rare occurrence, yet a welcomed one- and a red pen in hand, prepared to do a bit of editing before they sent the copy off to the publisher as proof of progress.

Frankly, she’d been less nervous when she submitted her first novel.

After what seemed like a short eternity, blue eyes flicked up to her just before the pages were rearranged. “Well… I believe it’s a very strong start. But I… do have a question or two.”

“Go ahead,” she replied, heart hammering in her chest.

“I’m guessing this character that has Gambol so enthralled is to be her love interest?”

“Yes.”

“I see.” She flipped to a specific page. “’And then she looked up, her frustration warring with something much softer as the curse sitting on her tongue never left. Blazing blue eyes looked down upon her, vexation drawing white brows together, and her hair fell about her shoulders like rays of white moonlight. The scar over her left eye- healed now for many moons- called to Gambol’s warrior pride, made the fresh wound in her side ache a bit from sympathy. And in that moment, she could feel a connection forge, something much deeper than she expected, so unfamiliar that it scared her as much as it intrigued her, for this warrior woman who had the nerve to challenge her had something else, too. Something Gambol was dying to see.’ That’s quite an… interesting description.” Weiss subconsciously touched the scar over her left eye, something Blake hadn’t been privileged to see until many months of working together, and even then by chance- they’d been caught out in the rain on the way back from the publisher and it had come down hard enough to wash away the make-up that usually concealed it. Since then, Weiss didn’t often wear make-up if they weren’t planning to leave for the day. “So I suppose the only question that remains is… why name her Myrtenaster?”

She’d chosen the name for a few reasons. For one thing, it was exceptionally uncommon by all accounts, seeing as she’d only ever heard of it when the editor mentioned having a dog when she was younger. 

That was  _his_  name, much like she’d named her main character after the cat she’d had as a kid.

“Because I figured ‘Weiss’ would be too transparent,” she replied, bracing herself for whatever reaction she received.

Weiss nodded and set the pages down. Slowly, she stood up and walked around her desk, stopping in front of Blake’s chair.

Then, she brazenly sat herself down in the writer’s lap, a twinkle in her eyes as the words left her lips. “Took you long enough.”

And then their lips met. Blake’s eyes fluttered closed as her arms came up, wrapping around Weiss and holding her steady, pulling her close- honestly, she had no clue what she was doing, she just wanted more.

And when the first break came, she posed the question she’d wondered ever since the realization struck her, ever since she had the presence of mind to look back on Weiss’ objections to Gambol’s love interests. “How long have you felt this way?”

“Long enough to be angry at myself for not being honest about it.” She smirked. “But not so long as to feel like a fool for biting my tongue, thankfully.”

“Well, then, are you done proofreading the first chapter?”

“There’s a few things I’d like to annotate… why?”

“Well, this book is going to focus a lot on romance.” Blake smiled. “And I need first hand research material.”

“You  _could_  just ask me out on a date, you know.” Weiss smiled and leaned down again, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “But I rather like this way. And I’m  _more_  than willing to assist you with any ‘research’ you happen to require.”


	3. Day Off

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Monochrome Week 2018, Day 3: Holiday

Weiss gently groaned, slowly opening her eyes to glare at the bit of sunlight peeking in through the curtains. She  _could_  roll over and be rid of the annoyance… but that would mean moving from her very comfortable spot, which she wasn’t exactly inclined to do at present. Not when she had Blake’s arm draped across her waist, pulling her in tight against a chest that rumbled with a content purr, her wife’s face buried in her neck and their legs tangled together beneath the covers. 

Normally, they’d both be up and hustling by the time the sun rose, trying to get the kids all fed, dressed, and dropped off in time for both Weiss and Blake to make it to work. But in light of the personal holiday, Winter and Yang had volunteered to take care of the kids so that the two could take full advantage of their wedding anniversary, which included sleeping in while cuddled up together.

So, now she faced a conundrum. Move and risk waking her wife so she might buy a few extra minutes of shut eye or stay right where she was and deal with the inconvenience. 

Well, when phrased  _that_  way… she truly didn’t have much choice, now did she?

Closing her eyes to try and keep out the light, she sighed and relished the calm and quiet in the arms of her wife, a smile curling her lips. Almost twelve years of waking up this way and while the novelty had worn off a bit, it was replaced by a sort of… comfort, like a well worn pair of sneakers that could be slipped on for just about any occasion or a faded pair of jeans going threadbare at the seams. The familiarity of the position, the sound of Blake purring behind her, the weight of her arm around Weiss’ waist… even if it had become an every day occurrence, the chance to soak it in and acknowledge it retained its charm.

Seeing as she had the time and wouldn’t be falling back asleep, she mulled over their options for breakfast as the sun continued to rise and her wife slept soundly through the morning, shifting every now and again. Eventually, the purring tapered off to nothingness as the little movements became deliberate, lips ghosting against her neck and shoulder. Weiss couldn’t help but smile, relishing the attention until she couldn’t stand it anymore, rolling over to return the favor by pushing Blake onto her back and coaxing her into a proper kiss.

“Good morning,” her wife said, the words mumbled and thick from sleep as her eyes fluttered open, lips curling into a lazy smile. “Have you been up long?”

“Not at all,” she replied, voice considerably more clear than Blake’s. “Are you ready to get out of bed yet?”

“Not really.” Feline ears flicked, a momentary look of confusion coming over her expression before it smoothed out. Obviously, in the early morning fog, she’d forgotten that their children were off visiting their aunts. “Maybe we can put on a movie?”

“First, we’re closing the curtains.” Most would probably expect them to have a lavish dinner, rose petals strewn about the bedroom, and a candle lit night- and those weren’t too far off, truth to tell. A few anniversaries were spent in exactly that fashion. 

But, with the high tempo of their respective careers, with four children with boundless energy and the highest of hopes, with all the weight of their pasts, present, and future still clinging to their shoulders, taking some time to just… do  _nothing_  aside from be with each other… it could be the best feeling in the world, really.

“That would require one of us getting up.” Blake yawned, stretching her arms over her head. “Here’s my offer: you take care of the blinds and get a movie started while I go make breakfast. Then we come back for breakfast in bed.”

“Counter offer:  _I_  go make breakfast because you did it last year.”

“Counter counter offer: you cooked dinner the year before that and nearly burned the house down.”

“It was  _two years ago,_ Blake, honestly-”

“And how have the cooking lessons with Ruby been going?”

“Oh, fine.” Weiss rolled her eyes. “I’ll get the curtains. Any suggestions for a movie?”

“Surprise me,” her wife replied with a peculiar glimmer in her eyes before leaning over and kissing her once more. 

With that, they both headed off for their respective tasks. In the back of her mind, Weiss wondered when the curtains had been pulled back in the first place- they both preferred to spend what few sunlit hours they had out in the living room with the children, and their entire decor reflected their tastes for a bit darker an atmosphere- but found that thought cut short when she noticed something sitting on the windowsill.

A little stick she’d become  _very_  familiar with, one she knew by heart, and that made discerning the little markings on it all the easier.

She blinked once, twice, before snatching it up and tearing out of the bedroom, heading down the stairs, and bursting into the entryway to the kitchen. There, she found her wife, smiling gently while nursing a morning cup of orange juice- not her usual tea.

“Blake?” She held up the pregnancy test, heart skipping a beat as she waited for the Faunus to nod.

“Surprise,” she replied, setting down her cup in time to catch Weiss as she all but launched herself at her beloved wife, absolutely ecstatic. “So, I guess we’re in agreement?”

“We both wanted a large family.” Pulling back, she looked up into her love’s face. “But I thought we agreed on no anniversary presents this year.”

“Well, in my defense,  _you_  started it.” 

With a laugh, they came together for another kiss, and already Weiss began mentally counting down the days until Blake’s belly would be too big for her to be the big spoon comfortably. Even if she rather liked being cuddled when they went to bed, she’d acquired a taste for holding her pregnant wife as they slipped off to slumber.

She couldn’t wait to inform her sister that she would be an aunt a fifth time over, though the conversation likely wouldn’t come until the following morning, when their children came back from their little stay. Already, she could hear the jokingly chiding remarks. “How is it, the year we decide for things to be as low key as possible, we  _still_  manage to have something big happen?”

“We’re Belladonna-Schnees.” Blake shrugged. “At this point, I think it’s a law of the universe.”

“Well, now that I know, you  _can’t_  cook breakfast alone.” Weiss stole another kiss before moving to the fridge.

“I thought we’d agreed you’d stop being overprotective in the event I got pregnant again.”

“No, I said I would  _consider_  not being overprotective, and insisting on providing assistance isn’t being ‘overprotective’, it’s being considerate.”

As she pulled the door open, arms slipped around her waist as Blake rested her chin on the top of her head, purring softly. “When am I going to learn to get everything you say in writing?”

“Probably about the time  _I_  learn to stop fretting over little details.”

“So, never.”

“Precisely.” She turned her head and was met with another kiss.

One of these days, they might actually manage to take a day off and unwind.

But not today, because even with short notice, Weiss had no intention of skipping out on a chance to pamper her beloved wife.

Her beloved, pregnant wife.


	4. This and That

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For Monochrome Week 2018, Day 4: Sharing.

Blake shivered, raising her gaze to scowl at the thick grey clouds overhead, her back pressed against the brick wall of the school as she sat at the far edges of the playground. All she wanted to do for recess was read her book but Vale’s winters happened to be much colder than those in Menagerie and for the sixth time that day she wished they could go back home. She understood Mom and Dad had to come to Vale for their work- as much as a seven year old could understand, anyway- but it still seemed unfair for her to have to be there as well. She could’ve stayed home, gone to school like she was supposed to, and gone down to the docks for food whenever she got hungry. She could  _definitely_  take care of herself.

Of course, she was only shivering at present because she’d disagreed with her Mom’s advice to take a coat to school, because the weather was rather nice that morning, if a little chilly. Certainly not as cold as it was now with the wind blowing.

She just wanted to read her book.

“What are you doing?” Amber eyes snapped away from the foreboding clouds overhead to the girl who’d addressed her. They were probably the same age- she’d seen the girl during their lunch period- but they didn’t share the same class. She almost seemed too… bright for her surroundings, and not in the way that some of the other kids were. They wore colorful shirts and jackets and shoes but this girl had nothing but white. White hair, white jacket, white skirt, white boots- it seemed the only color she had was in her blue eyes, which were narrowed in a scowl at present. “Shouldn’t you be playing?”

“Shouldn’t you?” Blake’s feline ears laid back a little and she noticed how the girl’s attention flicked to them briefly.

They both looked towards the playground, where the rest of their classmates were laughing and playing, running around and climbing whatever they could. “They’re too loud.”

“I think so, too,” she said, looking down to her book. “That’s why I’d rather read.”

“Then why  _aren’t_  you reading?”

“Because I just sat down.” She frowned, hating how the wind blew at that exact moment and made her shiver again. 

“You’re cold.”

“… maybe.” One day, she might learn to listen to her parents when they told her things. “It wasn’t cold this morning so I didn’t bring a jacket.”

“But it’s not cold. Not really.”

“It’s colder than Menagerie.”

“It’s not as cold as Atlas. That’s where I’m from.”

“You’re not from Vale?”

The girl shook her head, a frown touching her lips. “We moved here for business.” Huh. Seems they had a bit in common. As Blake mulled over that information, the girl took off her jacket and held it out. “Here. I’m not cold.”

A bit of pride shone through; even if she made some miscalculations regarding the weather, she could handle the consequences without help. “I didn’t ask for your jacket.”

“And  _I_  didn’t ask you to take it.” The girl frowned. “I’m telling you to so you can be warm and read. That’s what you want, right? So just take it.”

“You’re not very nice, you know.”

“And you’re ungrateful.” The girl snapped back, putting one hand on her hip and shaking her jacket. “I’m not telling you again.”

With an exasperated sigh, Blake reached out and grabbed the garment, leaning away from the wall so she could throw it around her shoulders. It was small, so she didn’t dare risk putting her arms through the sleeves and stretching it out, but it was thick enough that she immediately felt warmer just from having it around her shoulders.

Satisfied she’d finally given in, the girl came and sat beside her, gaze fixed on the playground. 

But Blake didn’t open her book just yet. “How long have you lived here?”

“Only a few days. Today’s my first day at school.”

“Mine was yesterday,” she said, ears falling slightly. “I miss home.”

“I don’t.” The girl shrugged. “There was nothing to miss.”

“Don’t you have friends back home?”

“Not really,” she replied, still staring at the playground. “There were kids I talked to, but… they weren’t my friends.”

Blake frowned. Honestly, that was really the only part of home she missed. Of course she missed her old house and the swing set in the back but all that didn’t matter without her friends to share it all with, and the idea of making new friends made her feel guilty for leaving her old ones behind. But what sort of person didn’t even have friends to miss when they moved?

“My name’s Blake,” she said, holding out her hand. “Blake Belladonna.”

“Weiss,” the girl replied, shaking her hand and pointedly ignoring the way she was being watched expectantly. Finally, she sighed, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, resting her chin on top while muttering the rest. “Weiss Schnee.”

Tilting her head to the side, she narrowed her eyes. The name sounded familiar- maybe her parents had mentioned it before- but she couldn’t really place it. “Does that mean something in Atlas?”

“It means something everywhere.” Weiss sighed and curled in tighter on herself. “It’s why I don’t have any friends. No one wants to be friends with Weiss but everyone wants to be friends with a Schnee.” She paused. “Well… not everyone.”

Blake sat back against the brick wall for a moment, then cracked open her book. But instead of going to the butterfly printed marker her Mom had gotten her, she opened it to the first page. “Do you like stories?”

For a moment, the girl didn’t respond, but when she eventually looked over, her brow pinched in confusion. “There’s no pictures. What’s it about?”

“It’s about a girl who’s very smart and has lots of friends but she has a really bad family.” A frown touched her lips. “My Mom and Dad would never act like this. It’s hard to imagine parents being this mean to their own kid. But I like the main character.” 

Weiss scooted closer to her, trying to get a better look at the words on the page. “Does it have a happy ending?”

“I think so.” But then, Blake had a better idea. “How about I read aloud? Mom says I should practice. I… get nervous speaking in front of the class sometimes.”

“We can take turns.” The girl nodded. “You can go first?”

“Okay.” Blake smiled, ears perking up as they moved a little closer together. And then she began to read aloud, only stumbling over the words every now and again, with Weiss pressed against her side.

* * *

“-to be determined by the White Fang Council, henceforth abbreviated WFC, in conjunction with the governing body of Vale, for the betterment of human/Faunus relations, to include but not limited to- how can you read through these things day after day?” Blake lowered her hand, taking the thick stack of papers away so she could blink her eyes clear. “This is my third one and it’s giving me a headache. It’s just a mess of run-on sentences with flowery language thrown in rather than plain words.”

“There’s a world of difference between business contracts and legal proposals, my love,” Weiss replied, setting aside a notepad she’d been using to jot down irregularities in the proposal and turning her head to press a kiss against the Faunus’ cheek. “But I don’t think you’re wrong. Thankfully, Winter is more fond of the minutiae than I am. You’re not as lucky.”

“In some respects.” Taking her father’s place as the leader of the White Fang, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of Faunus all over Remnant, did come with its drawbacks. For one, it didn’t feel right to ask her father for help unless the issue required more critical analysis than just what she could provide herself, because not only did she want anyone accusing her of not doing her fair share in leading the group but she also didn’t want to worry him over every little thing that cropped up- of which there seemed to be a never ending supply. For another, she’d chosen to surround herself with those who hand concrete, firsthand knowledge of the living conditions in the various kingdoms, which meant they didn’t always possess the ability to look at potential proposals objectively. Not necessarily a bad thing, as it kept them keenly aware of any shady wording, but it also brought with it the necessary consequence of never being satisfied, because undoing decades of discrimination simply didn’t happen. It could be overcome but not undone and so many had failed to see that distinction. “But at least I have you.”

“That you do.” Weiss smiled, then reached over and grabbed the proposal, setting it aside with her notepad and grabbing a book from the end table. “How about a break? If you’re starting to go cross eyed, then perhaps a distraction will help you relax. We can come back to this in a bit.”

“You’re just eager to get to the next chapter.” Blake chuckled, wrapping an arm around her wife’s shoulders. “ It’s not a bad idea. I’ll go first-”

“Ah, no.” A light tap against her nose discouraged her from taking the book from the woman’s hands. “You’re supposed to be relaxing, remember? I’ll read.”

Even after twenty years, Weiss’ requests still sounded like demands and Blake had fallen in love with it, a fond smile touching her lips as she settled back, ears tilted forward to soak up every word as her wife began to read aloud.


	5. Catlantis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because the Monos discord is entirely too encouraging, just a small bit of fun with an Atlantis!RWBY AU. I wrote this for Maburito, lol.

Weiss carefully followed her guide’s footsteps, watching every crumbling stone for any hint of falling away from beneath her. When the group unanimously nominated her to be the one to talk some sense into the surprisingly thriving lost civilization, she’d thought the very worst she’d have to do would be stare someone down. But, of course, just like every other little moment of this blasted trip, things couldn’t go quite to plan, and instead she found herself drug around the city by the Princess, amusement and wonder shining in bright amber eyes in equal measure.

Of course… she wasn’t exactly counting that as a bad thing, not at all. For one, she’d learned more about the ancient Faunus society- their customs, their language, their habits, all the things scholars had only been able to theorize about for centuries- in a matter of hours than she’d thought she’d known for the past ten years, so that could only be counted as a boon. And, well, she’d be lying if she tried implying that she didn’t enjoy Princess Blake’s company.

“It’s just a bit further,” the Faunus said, looking over her shoulder as they slipped between two fallen pillars. “I can’t believe this.”

“Finally, a sentiment we share.” As soon as she passed through the gap, she looked around, noticing the algae covering murals and runes, deep etchings into the stone depicting various scenes from the Empire’s history or perhaps myths from those times. She couldn’t be sure without a closer look but Blake kept moving so she followed, approaching the edge of a shallow inlet. Beyond, she could see one of the Faunus fishing boats, the strange with a small flock of four winged creatures circling overhead. “When we came down here, the most we expected to find was ruins and bones, the vestiges of your people and more questions than answers.”

“And yet you came anyway?” The Princess raised a brow, lips curling into a small smirk.

“Sometimes, what few answers we find are worth the questions posed after.” Blue eyes traced the outline of a ‘guardian’, a stone figure leaning among the ruined pillars with boar tusks jutting from beneath a fierce helm; they’d often speculated that such depictions were exaggerations of great warriors. Oh, how wrong they were. “Knowing my grandfather was right. That this place exists- and that its people are thriving.” She shook her head, looking back to Blake. “There’s nothing in the world I ever wanted more.”

The cat ears atop the Faunus’ head fell with her expression, amber eyes darting away. “We are not thriving. Look around.” She gestured towards the broken pillars, the water flowing through cracks, and the rickety wooden bridge in the distance. “We cling to the remnants of a past we can’t remember, hiding in shadows of our forefathers with nothing more than guesses at what it all means.” Her shoulders fell, sorrow in her tone. “We were once a great people. The most powerful civilization in the world. Now, we’re a myth to the world above… and to ourselves.”

Weiss’ brows furrowed as she fiddled with the hem of her sleeve for a moment. Comforting people… well, it certainly never qualified as a skill her father thought she should be taught and she never really learned… but it couldn’t be that hard, right? “Well… that’s… why I’m here. To help you regain some of that lost knowledge.”

That seemed to perk the Princess up, a small smile coming to her lips. “There’s truth in this. If you can read the murals.”

“If I can- I found this place, didn’t I?” Taking the challenge, she turned towards the nearest mural- a broken depiction of what she suspected to be Faunus hunters chasing game from different parts of the once glorious empire. “Just give me a few moments to-”

“Can you swim?” Furrowing her brows in confusion, Weiss turned to look at her guide, a question poised at the tip of her tongue but flying from her mind the moment she saw the black fabric formerly wrapped around Princess Blake’s torso pulled away. She’d already discarded the purple skirt styled sarong, leaving her in just her undergarments- black cloth wrapped to protect her modesty- in the blink of an eye, and of the sixteen languages she could fluently speak, not one happened to be available to her at that moment. “Weiss?”

The moment amber eyes landed on her, the woman regained her ability to speak… to an extent. “I can- I can swim pretty girl- good, pretty girl good- no, I mean, well I do mean that, but, I swim good girl-” Putting a hand to her mouth and biting in her knuckle to stem the flow of utter ridiculousness spilling from her mouth. She thought she heard a little chuckle, but when she recovered, the Faunus seemed politely interested in her response. If it wasn’t too crass, she’d be willing to say Blake would be the death of her. “I. Can. Swim. Rather. Well.”

“Are you certain?” Great, now the Princess was teasing her. Perfect.

“Yes.” She grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest and matching her guide’s amusement with annoyance.

Princess Blake took two steps towards her, amber eyes flicking down quickly. “Even fully clothed?”

… blast.

“While it might be common place for your people to just… strip in front of others, mine prefer a bit more… privacy.” She could feel the stutter in her heartbeat as she fought not to blush. Having excellent control over her emotional responses came with the territory of being a Schnee… although it appeared she had more weaknesses in her defenses than she thought, because the way the Faunus smirked at her before turning around definitely did… things.

It wasn’t the mechanical monstrosity that sunk the submarine, it wasn’t the near cave in that rained down on top of them, it wasn’t the giant millipede, and it wasn’t the literal fireflies that set the camp on fire- this infuriatingly clever Princess of a lost civilization, with her excellent athleticism and her breathtaking smile, would be the death of her. Frustratingly enough, that would be a rather anti-climactic way for her expedition to end, but she found herself pulling off her jacket and shirt in short order anyway. She kicked off her boots, pulled down her pants, and folded everything to neatly set it together before clearing her throat.

“There. Now, I suppose we can go find these murals.” She crossed her arms over her chest, padding over to the water’s edge with a skeptical eye. Only when she realized her companion hadn’t responded did she look over, noting the amber eyes watching her curiously. “What is it now?” Without a word, the Princess approached her, not stopping until they were a tad too close for the woman’s comfort… and only then did she realize how far back she was having to tilt her head to maintain eye contact. Finally, she put a hand to her temple and sighed. “Just say it.”

“Why wear them?” The Faunus tilted her head, ears pricked forward in curiosity.

“We went over this already.”

“We spoke of your people’s… taste in fashion.” Well, that was a good deal more polite than the original inquiry, at least. “But why alter your height so?”

“Because it’s nice to reach the top shelf of the cupboard- do we really have time for this?” She wanted to be exasperated by Princess Blake’s odd sense of priorities, or at least by the amusement still shining plainly in those bright amber eyes, but it was hard to be anything but a touch embarrassed. On the greatest expedition of her lifetime, she was standing there in her bra and panties beside royalty who seemed more amused by her lack of height than interested in what discoveries lay beneath the water’s surface. “It’s just… something we do.”

“Ah, so it’s like that… make-up.” The Faunus’ mouth curled around the unfamiliar word, ears flicking as if genuinely confused. “Why do your people insist on altering what is already beautiful?” She shook her head and turned, beginning to wade out into the water. “I will never understand it.”

… beautiful?

Snapping out of the temporary stupor that single word thrust her into, Weiss quickly stepped into the water, wading out after the Princess. At this point, she’d be very surprised if she survived this expedition with her dignity intact… and she was beginning to suspect she’d be alright with that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, now that I've gotten a good count for this year (over 500k words written, a personal best) I can start backing up everything else.


	6. Leader

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A Voltron!AU. Although it shares some similarities with Saskyang's Voltron!AU drawings, there's no intentional overlap.

Blake frowned, looking up at the darkened silhouette with a growing sense of unease. It still felt surreal, her being there, but she was and, somehow, everything was working out so well…

… so why,  _why_ , couldn’t she connect with the ancient, mystical creation the way everyone else could with theirs? Why did it always feel like she was a breath away from losing everything?

Six months ago, she was an outcast on Earth, forced to hide the furry cat ears on her head for fear of being experimented on like the freak she was. Then a series of events happened almost too quickly for her to process them: first came the run-in with three young women while they were all trying to survive the military academy, being put on the same team together, then getting drug along on an apparent wild goose chase that ended up not being so far fetched after all, launching into a completely alien solar system on accident, finding out  _aliens_  existed, getting wrapped up in a resistance movement against a slowly encroaching evil, and finding out that she was an alien herself.

It was… a  _very eventful_  half a year. Plus, there were a myriad of other things that had happened, battles fought, bonds forged, and none were stronger than between herself and the one person she thought hated her at the onset of their acquaintanceship. Unfortunately, now she had someone  _entirely different_  who openly hated her very being, of course, but she was working on that. Kinda. Anyway, that wasn’t contributing to the growing dark cloud weighing down on her at that moment.

Amber eyes scanned along the sleek, black metal as she followed the contours of its legs up to broad shoulders. It rested, as it always did, at the heart of the castle, proudly sitting on its metal haunches with its head raised high, the folded red wings on its back adding to the bulk of its shadow. There was no power running through the circuits, so the yellow eyes were dull and unseeing. She could still feel the weight of its gaze on her, though, judging her… and finding her lacking.

The one relationship she’d wanted to improve, the one bond she  _needed_  to forge, completely escaped her, and it was between herself and the Black Lion.

It formed the head and body of Voltron, the fabled defender of the universe and key to stopping the encroaching Grimm invasion, and she was somehow chosen to be its paladin. While the Lion had accepted her as its pilot for  _whatever_  reason, Princess Pyrrha was very clear: she hadn’t yet forged a bond with it that was strong enough to reveal the location of its bayard, the key to unlocking its full power. It was hidden away thousands of years ago to keep the Black Lion from falling into the wrong hands but not even the Castle’s databases could locate it. Despite being chosen as capable, something about the  _Faunus_ \- and it was still a little strange to have something to call herself other than  _freak_  or  _mutant_  or  _mistake_ \- was unacceptable to the ancient robot, so it remained elusive, the Lion’s strength hindered.

She just couldn’t figure out what.

“Blake?” She blinked, turning to look as the younger pilot approached. Ruby, the ever cheerful leader of their ragtag group of universe defenders, approached with a plate laden with cookies. Although the Castle of Lions didn’t carry many Human and Faunus friendly foods, they’d managed to find decent enough substitutes for their favorites at the last planet they’d liberated. The sisters had spent most of the past week taking turns cooking and trying to recreate delicacies from their home planet to share with the Alteans. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing.” With a furtive glance back at the Black Lion, she turned away and offered a small smile to cover her melancholy. “Midnight baking again?”

“It helps me think. Want one?” Ruby held out the plate and she cautiously took just one. While normally a very happy, very nice individual, everyone was highly aware that when she offered  _one_  cookie, she meant  _one_  cookie. Her elder sister, Yang, often cited that she used to eat at least half the cookies when they were younger and it apparently led a bit of a complex whenever it came to sweets. “So… you  _sure_  there’s nothing you want to talk about?”

“I’m sure.” She dodged, buying herself a little time by biting into the cookie. It was about as close to chocolate chip as they could manage so far from home but good all the same.

“Right.” Silver eyes looked away, admiring the silhouette just as she’d been doing before. Out of the corner of her eyes, the Faunus could see the way the Red Lion’s eyes began glowing faintly, responding to its pilot’s presence in a way the Black Lion never did for her. “You know, sometimes I still wake up thinking this is all a dream. I never thought I’d be here, in space, fighting aliens in a huge robot lion with my friends. It’s so great!” The Faunus made a soft noise of agreement, still preoccupying herself with the cookie. “And I’m glad you’re the Black Lion’s pilot.”

“Huh?” Swallowing, Blake looked at the woman, a furrow in her brows. “What? Why? I shouldn’t be- I’m not the leader…”

“So  _that’s_  what’s bothering you. Can’t hide anything from me!” Ruby flashed her a smile before returning her gaze to the ancient Lion, allowing the Faunus to mentally curse her in peace. “But you shouldn’t worry about it, really.”

“I  _should_.” Once again, amber eyes went up to meet the Lion’s gaze as her shoulders dropped. “You heard the Princess; the Black Lion is supposed to be the leader of the paladins, someone whose orders are followed without question. Between the five of us, _you_ are our leader.”

“Well… I mean, you have a point, but hear me out. Princess Pyrrha is really smart and, as an Altean, she  _does_  know more about Voltron than we do,” the young woman said, her smile falling ever so slightly. “But even she said she doesn’t know everything. The bond between a paladin and a Lion defies science and explanation… but I think I get it now and I think she’s wrong, at least about that. Any of the paladins can be the leader; what’s important is that we know how we fit together.”

“How we fit together?” She glanced up quizzically at the Black Lion. “You mean, how we form Voltron?”

“Nope!” Ruby laughed, meeting her gaze. “I mean, Voltron is made up of five lions, and each one is meant to function as part of the whole. Each has its own job, its own purpose, and part of bonding with yours is realizing that.”

“I still don’t see how that means I don’t have to be the leader.” Blake mumbled, eating the last bit of the cookie.

“Okay, let’s look at it a different way.” Tugging on her sleeve, the young woman pulled her over to sit on the Black Lion’s claw. It was a bit of a battle to get up there without spilling the plate but they somehow managed. However, it just made the Faunus feel more uneasy, like she shouldn’t be there at all. The Lions could move of their own accord at any time, after all, and she wasn’t certain the ancient robot would take kindly to being used as a bench. “What does the Black Lion do that the other Lions don’t?”

“It forms the head of Voltron,” she replied dryly, crossing her arms.

“Okay, but besides that.”

Trying to take the question more seriously, Blake cast her gaze at the four other Lions, all arranged around the Black Lion in the same formation as they often entered battle and patiently awaiting their paladins when next they were needed. Each was unique, with just enough characteristics overlapping with their paladins to make it obvious which of the five operated it while also having marked differences. Penny, the sentient android found in the depths of the castle, piloted the Green Lion, the quick left arm of Voltron, and it was just as inquisitive about the world as the ginger yet she was arguably the slowest of them. Yang, the boisterous blonde that the Faunus was paired with during their academy training, piloted the Yellow Lion, the bulky left leg, and it shared her penchant for brute force while lacking her temper. Weiss, the cold heiress who had warmed to all of them in the past several months, piloted the Blue Lion, the sturdy right leg, and it served to power Voltron just like the woman motivated all of them with quick words, though it wasn’t nearly as graceful as its paladin. And Ruby, of course, piloted the Red Lion, the powerful right arm, and they could be just as decisive in the heat of battle though the woman was prone to waiting for an opening to appear rather than rushing in, unlike her Lion.

Honestly, most days, it just felt like she was the odd one out when it came to the bond between paladin and Lion, as if the Black Lion had only accepted her because there was no one else left and it was needed. “I… don’t know.”

“Alright then, I’ll tell you.” Ruby laughed, taking a cookie for herself. “The Black Lion is the one that brings all the others together. Take any of the other Lions away, and Voltron would be unbalanced, but there would be at least a chance it could operate. The Black Lion, though? Nope! No Black Lion, no Voltron.” She took a bite, humming softly in happiness before giggling. “Yup, finally got the recipe  _just_  right. Anyway, I’ve been thinking about it recently, and you have a lot in common with the Black Lion.”

“How?” Blake blinked, certain she’d misheard the woman. “How could I possibly have anything in common with Black Lion? I’m not-”

“If you say ‘leader’, or anything resembling that word, I’m flicking your ears.” She blinked again. “The sensitive ones.”

The Faunus immediately reached up to cover her sensitive extra appendages. “Please don’t.”

They watched each other for a moment before Ruby relented and continued as if she hadn’t been interrupted.

“It goes back to what we learned at the very beginning of this whole 'saving the universe’ business.” She finished off one cookie and picked up another. “When it comes to forming Voltron, it relies on the trust between all of us. Just as the other Lions rely on the Black Lion to bring them together, we rely on  _you_  in exactly the same way. Your Lion might form the head, Blake, but you’ve always been our heart.”

“You’re joking.”

“Nah, jokes are Yang’s thing. You know, your  _partner_?” She smiled, lightly nudging Blake’s shoulder. “You two relied on each other while we were at the academy, and that still holds true. You share a special bond with each of us that’s like that; you’ve just never really thought about it that way.” Ruby smiled, lifting her unoccupied hand to point at each Lion in turn. “You and Penny know what it’s like being different from others, being alienated because you’re the only one of your kind and unsure of your place in the world. You and Yang, well, you’re partners! Of course you have each other’s back! You and Weiss are lo-… lo-… you’re girlfriends, okay, and that’s all that needs to be said about that! And, you’re my best friend and book buddy!” Silver eyes met her gaze, shining with utmost conviction. “That’s what makes you special, Blake. The Black Lion might form the head of Voltron, but you’re the heart of this team. You care about the people being oppressed by the Grimm Empire and you’re never afraid to lead us into battle to save innocent people. I’m the right arm- the scythe, the strike to bring them down-, and Penny is our shield, Yang keeps us steady and Weiss pushes us harder, but what puts any of us in that battle is  _you_.”

It was strange to think of now in such terms but… the young woman had a very good point. Over the past six months, her relationships with the other paladins had improved and deepened, and she’d always been most vocal about never abandoning the peoples of the universe when the Grimm pressed deeper, enslaving race after race, stealing resources and harvesting precious minerals. They’d compromised entire planets in order to achieve their means and Blake couldn’t stand to watch others suffer through her inaction. Every time they went out, it was usually because she wanted to do something, even when the odds were stacked against them.

“But… you’re always the one who comes up with the plan."She pointed out weakly.

Ruby smiled. "Yeah, and I think that’s where the confusion comes from. See, Alteans, they mostly think with their head. But we’re Humans- you were raised as a Human for most of your life so don’t try using that as an excuse- and we think with our hearts, Blake.” The young woman grabbed another cookie, talking around it as she chewed. “That’s the thing about the Lions, though. They might be ancient, with other pilots that came  _way_  before us, but  _we_  are their paladins now. That’s why Red makes the scythe now instead of a sword, and Green has that weird vine attack, and- you get my point.” She looked over towards her Lion as it moved its head to meet her gaze. “We’re not a perfect match but we’re learning together. Black Lion wouldn’t have chosen you to be its paladin if you couldn’t do it.”

The Faunus leaned back, resting both palms flat against the cool metal beneath them, and looked up at the underside of the Lion’s jaw. “Is it really that simple, though? I mean, you have a pretty solid connection to everyone, too.” She was being stubborn at this point and she was highly aware of that. It just… seemed too good to be true. That her place on the team wasn’t just given to her, that she not only earned it but it belonged, in its entirety, to her. “Then again, you’re very good as the sword arm of Voltron. Er, the scythe arm, I mean. Anyway, we’ve been doing well enough in our positions. I guess I should just trust that Black Lion chose me for a reason.”

“See, now you’re getting it… here, have another cookie.” Although there was a slight pout to her words, the young woman offered up her plate again all the same. Once Blake had taken one, she continued. “Have you ever thought about joining the Grimm?”

“No,” she replied instantly, forgoing the sweet to glare at Ruby. “How could you even say that? You’ve seen what they’ve done!”

“But they’re Faunus-”

“So?” After weathering Pyrrha’s barrage of questions and alternating cold shoulder for the past few weeks, she was more than adept at defending herself, though she hated having to do it. “I’d rather be a freak Human than one of them. Just because I’m a Faunus doesn’t mean I agree with the horrible things they’ve done, or that I want any part of it.” Abandoning the cookie on the metal beside her, Blake pushed off, landing in a crouch beside Black Lion’s claw. “I’m not defined by the ears on my head and I know right from wrong. What the Grimm have done is wrong and they must be stopped. I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure it is.”

The Faunus turned, eyes shining with determination only to find Ruby smiling at her from her spot as a low, pleased rumble seemed to faintly echo from somewhere in the room, though she couldn’t pinpoint where. “Sounds like you’re leading us in the right direction, then, huh?”

The tension in her shoulders disappeared in an instant, eyes widening at the woman’s word choice. Then she smiled, a small chuckle passing through her lips. “Thanks, Ruby.”

“Sometimes, we all get a little lost in our own heads.” She cringed slightly, hunching her shoulders. “Speaking of which, could you maybe talk to Weiss? You’ve been avoiding her and she’s  _really_ worried. Yang’s been keeping her distracted but I think it’s starting to bum her out.”

To be fair, Blake hadn’t been avoiding her, specifically, but she’d withdrawn from everyone after the last battle, when it became apparent that her lack of a bayard and Black Lion’s untapped power was holding the team back. Still, it wasn’t fair that she’d unintentionally caused her girlfriend to worry, and part of her was certain that being 'bummed’ was putting things  _very_  lightly. “I’ll talk to her.”

“Great.” Ruby hopped down from Black Lion’s claw, managing not to spill even a crumb from the plate in her hands, which was frankly a little amazing; although a bit of a klutz at times, the young woman could be remarkably steady in battle or when sweets were involved.

Once close enough, the Faunus wrapped an arm around her shoulders in a side hug to show her gratitude, not wanting to threaten the cookies. “Were you trying to say 'lovers’ earlier?”

“Blake, please, don’t tease me about this.”

With a chuckle, she nodded, figuring the  _least_  she could do was honor the request. Plus, she could always mention it to Yang later and let the sisters have at it.

The two started to leave the staging area for the Lions when suddenly Blake stopped, ears flicking back as a rumble shook her to her very core. It reverberated through her bones, leaving behind the distinct impression she should turn around, but the fact Ruby hadn’t reacted at all meant only one thing. The moment she did so, her gaze met that of the Black Lion, the shining yellow bearing down on her in a way it hadn’t before. There was little weight to it and no judgment, just a steady pressure that she seemed capable of meeting with equal force.

“Heh, guess you’re not done yet,” the young woman said with a smile and a shrug. “I’ll see you later.”

As Ruby left, the Faunus turned back to face the Lion, watching as it slowly rose to all fours and walked towards her, its tail swinging low behind it. Every heavy step made the floor beneath her feet vibrate but she held her ground until it came to rest in front of her, lowering its head and opening its jaw. The moment the lighted walkway disengaged from the Lion’s mandible and lowered, Blake stepped up, climbing into the Black Lion just as she did the first time. Once she was in the cockpit, already aglow in purple lights, she sat in the chair and allowed it to slide into position. Only then did a mechanism release in the panel to her right, the control switches winking out a moment before the top portion rose, revealing the hidden compartment where the bayard could be inserted to increase the Lion’s power.

Much to her surprise, there was already such a device locked into place.

“You had the bayard this whole time?” Blake couldn’t help but feel her lips curl into a smile as she reached out, wrapping her hand around the weapon’s handle. With a soft click, she was able to pull it free with ease, the overall white metal unblemished even as the black parts gleamed. There was a gentle rumble, the Black Lion’s softest roar, and she couldn’t help but chuckle again. “I guess this is the safest place to keep it.” Looking up towards the viewscreen, the Faunus noted the exit port that lead out of the castle. “What do you think, Black? Should we get some practice in while we can?”

She wasn’t in the paladins’ uniform- a beat up leather jacket, a black drop top, and her faded jeans were her go-to outfit when they weren’t saving the universe- and they were supposed to be resting from their last battle… but the enthusiastic roar that answered her made their course of action obvious. Settling into her seat, Blake flicked on the comm channel with the castle’s bridge.

The moment it connected, she was treated to Jaune’s curious expression and two voices faintly arguing in the background. “Blake? Is… everything alright?”

“Yeah, just fine. I’m taking my lion out for training.” She held up the bayard. “We have some things we need to work on.”

“Wait- that’s-  _you found the bayard for Black Lion?_ ” He leaned closer to the screen, obviously incredulous. The Altean’s surprised visage was quickly replaced by Pyrrha’s as the Princess came over to investigate, gasping softly as emerald colored eyes landed on the device.

“Oh, that’s wonderful!” She smiled- a true, genuine smile for the first time in weeks- and clasped her hands together. “I thought we might never find it!”

Blake was about to voice how she thought the same when a flash of white behind the two Alteans caught her eye, ears perking as she seized the opportunity. “Weiss?”

“Yes?” The woman stepped forward, Pyrrha and Jaune leaning back from the viewscreen enough so the two could see each other.

“Would you like to join me?” She smiled softly, setting the bayard aside for the moment. “I could use a training partner.”

“I’m… sure Yang can be pulled away from-”

“I’d rather have you, Weiss.” She watched through the screen as blue eyes deviated for a brief moment before returning, determined as ever. There was no doubt that the white haired woman was peeved about her lack of communication and sometimes the best way for them to work out their issues was flying beside one another, playing off each other, even if the battle was only a training exercise. It helped and she truly needed all the assistance she could get to smooth things over this time around.

“I’ll be right out.”

“I’ll be waiting, Love,” she replied with a wink, shutting off the screen before she could hear another complaint from Jaune about them making 'zaptili eyes’ at each other. Firmly grabbing the controls, Blake steered the Black Lion towards the exit. “Are we ready?” A roar answered her, one that briefly caused a flicker to shine through the other four Lions. “Good.”

Throwing the controls to full throttle, the Faunus was slammed back into her seat as her Lion took off, soaring down the port faster than ever before. She could suddenly feel the space around her like she was passing through it herself, the meters and readouts falling away as she relied on instinct and her own senses. This was what it meant to be a paladin. It was power beyond imagination, utterly liberating, and as she passed through the last airlock and out into the vast emptiness of space, the possibilities spread out before her in infinite waves. Everything the previous paladins had tried, their successes and failures; all of Black Lion’s knowledge was passed to her, and she got the distinct impression that her own memories were given in trade. The door to a deeper understanding of each other opened in that moment.

Blinking away the countless flashes now seared into her mind, Blake took firm hold of the controls once more, aiming to pass just beyond the Castle’s shield range. No doubt Pyrrha would activate the defenses once Weiss joined her and the two would spend the next several hours dodging incoming fire and hardlight opponents.

There was a gentle nudge at the back of her mind, Black prompting her gently, and she smiled while mentally conceding the point.

For now, training to lighten the mood, and after, a proper date with an apology.


	7. Risque

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt "Let's pretend that never happened." "Agreed." some heavy make outs and lingerie mention.

Weiss had no sympathy for her girlfriend’s light complaining as they ducked into the next store. She’d asked a total of four times before they’d left the house to  _ensure_  the Faunus was aware of the expedition awaiting her, because Weiss Schnee did nothing by halves and least of all shopping. Yet, she still agreed to come out, so the little comments about visiting yet  _another_  clothing store were ignored effortlessly.

Honestly, it was like the Faunus didn’t even  _know_  her.

“Is this the last place?” Blake gestured with the bags hanging off her arms. There were only three which, considering they’d visited twelve in total so far, meant that the woman was getting better at this budgeting concept. “You have  _more_  than enough for the whole year.”

“Six outfits is  _hardly_  enough, dear,” she replied, though there was a bit of a smile on her lips. “I promise: if I can find a nice blazer skirt combo here, that’ll be it. I need at least one more outfit to wear for meetings and you  _know_  I can only wear pantsuits so often before I start feeling like my sister.”

“Fine,” she said as her feline ears twitched despite her expression remaining neutral. Amber eyes deviated towards the front of the store for a moment before the Faunus’ spirits seemed to lift. “But, if you don’t find it here, I pick the next store.”

Weiss nodded absently, examining a skirt. “Yes, yes, alright.”

She browsed through the remaining selection but came up empty. Honestly, at this point, she was trying to find  _anything_  that would work just so she didn’t feel her girlfriend’s heavy gaze boring a hole into her back. She’d pulled Blake from the middle of her reading and, while it was impractical to wait until she was done because there was  _always_  another book to be read, she did feel a tad guilty. However, there was just nothing that appealed to her; everything looked either too juvenile or too… revealing. Given that she had an express purpose in mind, going either route would be causing more problems than solving, so she stepped out into the mall with a slight huff.

“Well, that was pointless.” She gestured in front of them. “Do you know where we’re going or should we consult a map?”

“I know  _exactly_  where the store is,” Blake replied, a lilt of amusement in her voice that prompted the woman to study her for a moment, eyes narrowed in suspicion. “What?”

“You’re up to something,” she said, shaking her head when no answer was forthcoming. “Alright, I suppose we should just get it over with. Lead the way.”

The moment Blake set off, her pace quicker than it had been at any point since they entered the mall, Weiss was almost certain she knew where they would end up: a bookstore, of course, because what other establishment could possibly catch her girlfriend’s interest so thoroughly? Instead, she was rather surprised to find them stopping in front of a lingerie shop, complete with mannequins modeling bras and underwear in the windows.

“Blake. What are we doing outside of Wisteria’s Secret?”

“Preparing to go  _in_  to Wisteria’s Secret,” the Faunus replied, a mischievous smile on her lips as she nodded towards the entrance. “You said I could pick the store.”

“There is  _nothing_ in there I need.”

Apparently, that was exactly what her girlfriend was hoping she’d say. “That’s okay; I’ll pick something out for you.”

Well… after walking the length and breadth of the mall at least once, she supposed a little indulgence was in order. “Very well. But make sure it’s tasteful if you expect me to actually wear it.”

If the look she received was any indication, that was  _also_  her walking straight into a trap. She swore, if she didn’t love the Faunus so much, she might actually be concerned by how easily she played right into Blake’s hand.

They walked in and one of the sales associates- an older woman with far too much make-up on, if Weiss was any judge- offered to take their bags and place them at the counter while they browsed. Blake took her up on the offer while she looked around, a slight frown on her lips. 

Now, Weiss well understood the appeal of lingerie, of course she did, but she always always chose items that matched her complexion and weren’t  _too_  ornate, simply because they would fit better beneath her combat uniform and she hated the idea of gaudy, loud colors on her person at all. However, the moment her girlfriend was free of her burden, one hand grasped onto hers and lead her back towards a specific corner of the store, well away from the entrance. While the simpler garments- bras, panties, stockings- were on display near the front of the store, this little tucked away section showcased the undergarments that were actually meant to be seen. Usually before being hurriedly taken off, and just the thought threatened to bring a light dusting to her cheeks.

“Blake, you  _can’t_  be serious.” Blue eyes roved over the designs on display, most of which tread the delicate line between tastefully seductive and entirely pointless. At least, that’s how they seemed to the woman regarding them. Really, what was the point of the lingerie if it failed to cover the interesting parts? Wasn’t anticipation part of the appeal?

“You’ve bought at least seven different outfits for work,” the Faunus said, gesturing around them. “All I’m suggesting is that you buy one for…  _play_.”

The way that last word rolled off her tongue, ears flicked forward in anticipation of her reply, was enough to melt her admittedly limited resolve. “Very well.  _One_  set.”

Somehow, she could tell she was going to regret this, because when her girlfriend was motivated, she could be the biggest tease in all of Remnant, but Weiss shoved her concerns to the side. It wasn’t often that Blake asked something of her, especially in regards to the more physical side of their relationship, and while the passion between them never suffered for it, a little bit of, ahem,  _spice_  was appreciated. Together, they browsed through the selections, the woman vetoing more than half of her girlfriend’s suggestions. In her defense, quite a few were made in jest- every article in either red or yellow were immediately shot down purely from both of them heavily associating the colors with their combat partners- but they both laughed at her quick refusal and the items were replaced. After a bit more looking, there were three options to choose from that Weiss would at least consider, though she wasn’t entirely sure about the last one; the first two were black silk, one a matching set of nearly sheer lace while the other was a simple but elegant teddy, and the third was a light purple halter top and mini boy shorts combo that looked more comfortable than sexy.

Satisfied that the options were the best available, Weiss stepped back to look between them, draping two over one arm while holding up the third. “So, which one are you choosing for me?”

“I’ll have to see them on you, first. After all,” the Faunus said, waiting for blue eyes to land on her before continuing. “I want to be absolutely certain they’re  _tasteful_.”

Damn. It did come back to bite her.

“They’re my size, Blake; I don’t see why I have to try them on, first.” She tried protesting but her heart honestly wasn’t in it. If her girlfriend wanted to play the teasing game, well, two could certainly play, and Weiss Schnee did nothing by half measures.

“Because I only get to choose  _one_ , so I need to make the most informed decision possible.” An arm around her shoulders guided her towards the changing rooms, which seemed to match the theme of the rest of the store. 

An attendant quickly ushered Weiss into one of the stalls while Blake waited outside- for security reasons, supposedly- which meant she’d have to change  _and then_  open the changing room door to get her girlfriend’s approval. That was fine, as far as she was concerned; it firmly handed her the advantage and she wasted no time striping down to her usual undergarments, folding her clothing and setting them aside before turning her attention to the choices. The teddy was nice, she thought, but it was the matching set that caught her attention. She might have only one chance to get the drop on her girlfriend, so she opted for that set, going so far as to let her hair down from its customary ponytail to flow around her shoulders. She adjusted the straps, buying herself time while listening for the attendant. There was another customer just a few stalls down, but it seemed like they were wrapping up.

Perfect.

“Do you need any help?” Blake seemed entirely too pleased with herself from the other side of the door, her voice carrying effortlessly into the changing stall.

“Perhaps,” Weiss replied, judging that the other customer had left and now might be her best opportunity. Without any warning, she quickly unlocked the door and opened it, unsurprised to find her girlfriend immediately outside it to save her the embarrassment of walking out where others could see.

That was never her intention, mind, but she appreciated Blake’s thoughtfulness all the same.

What she appreciated just a bit more, given the circumstances, was the way the Faunus’ gaze immediately dropped to take in the sight before her. The black silk made an excellent contrast against her pale skin, the bra accenting her admittedly modest bust while the panties hung low on her hips,  _just_  hiding from view what would be qualified as indecent for a public setting. For added measure, she tilted her hips just so, enjoying the way Blake harshly swallowed at the change.

“Well?” She raised her arms, one carding through black locks just shy of a feline ear while the other gently cupped her girlfriend’s jaw. “Do you think you could provide a bit of… assistance?”

“Of course,” Blake replied, her voice a little lower than usual as she stepped forward, entering the stall and letting the door close behind her, setting her hands on the woman’s hips. Her lips twitched, desire pooling in amber eyes as she tried to keep her voice low to prevent drawing unwanted attention. “What can I do?”

Weiss raised a brow. “What  _can_  you do?”

The challenge was met with a searing kiss, the teasing just enough to prevent either of them drawing it out with needless banter. This was something they’d never really tried before- not making out in public, that was most certainly a thing they’d tried a bit often near the beginning of their relationship, but that was four years ago- and Weiss suddenly found that she rather enjoyed the added restraint of keeping quiet, trying not to vocally express how much she  _loved_  when Blake raked her nails down the underside of her thigh to coax her into wrapping her legs around the Faunus’ hips. It was thrilling and she gasped, breaking the kiss and freeing up her girlfriend to trail her lips along the smooth column of her neck, nipping lightly at the juncture. She tried gripping onto Blake’s shoulders, suddenly frustrated by the fabric keeping her nails from biting into her girlfriend’s muscles in the way that never failed to pull a throaty groan of approval. She might be wearing next to nothing but Blake was still fully clothed, something she’d like to remedy immedia-

“ _Ahem_.”

They both froze, breathing halted as Weiss blinked her eyes back into focus and looked over the Faunus’ shoulder, meeting the sales associate’s unamused stare while the attendant, wide eyed and blushing, looked on from just passed the older woman.

Apparently, they’d conveniently forgotten to  _lock_  the door after entering the stall together.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the blush flaring up in her girlfriend’s neck, and the amusement at how easily her lover got embarrassed nearly overrode her own, giving her just enough of a handle on her expression and voice to adopt a completely serious tone. She never did anything by half measures, after all, and being caught acting like a horny teenager well into her twenties didn’t mean she couldn’t face the consequences with a fair bit of dignity. “I suppose you’re going to ask us to stop now.”

“Yes, Ma’am,” the sales associate replied, a faint twitch in her eyebrow. “ _And_  leave the store, please.”

“Very well.” Lightly pushing at Blake’s shoulders- because, really, she loved her girlfriend, but this  _was_  the Faunus’ fault- she risked one more brief kiss to her stunned lover’s lips before ushering her out. “You go pay for these and I’ll be out in a moment.”

The sales associate frowned even more severely. “Are you going to take them off, first?”

“No,” she replied, meeting the woman’s gaze and trying to ignore that she was still effectively naked. “I’ll wear them out, thank you.”

The older woman sighed, accepting the compromise in lieu of calling security. “Very well.” She turned towards the somewhat shell shocked Blake. “This way, Ma’am.”

“R-right.”

* * *

After paying for the purchase, collecting their bags, and once again in her usual clothes- sans the underwear she’d worn in being stuffed into her purse- Weiss strode out of Wisteria’s Secret with her head held high while Blake trailed half a step behind her, cheeks still bright from the flush she’d sported throughout their retreat. It wasn’t until they were well away from the entrance that she finally let her posture drop by the smallest degrees. “So… we probably shouldn’t go there again.”

“Yeah.” The Faunus sighed, shaking herself and clearing her throat. “And, uh, for the sake of saving us both the teasing… let’s pretend that didn’t happen.”

“Agreed,” she replied, turning a smile on her still shaken girlfriend. However, her expression faltered a moment later and she looked away. “But… just to be clear… even though it didn’t happen, does that mean it can’t happen again?”

“Which part?” Blake groaned, still a bit too preoccupied with her embarrassment to notice the shift if her girlfriend’s tone. “Getting caught making out in a changing room or getting kicked out of the store?”

“Well… suppose next time we  _don’t_  get caught.”

The Faunus came to a stop, turning to look at the woman to gauge her sincerity. “Is that something you’d want to try?”

Weiss let out a breathy little laugh, feeling her own cheeks start to color as she quickly admitted: “Well, I certainly wouldn’t be  _opposed_  to giving it another shot.”

By the way her girlfriend smiled, she supposed that was a good enough response.

“Okay. We’ll come back to it.”

“Excellent.” They started walking again, forgoing the other stores to return to their car. “But if anyone asks, we’ve  _never_  tried it before.”

“Never.”


	8. Stranger Than Fiction

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt "Is this a bad time to tell you I'm allergic to bees?" and it's just a bit of cheeky humor.

Weiss kept her head down, pretending to focus on the script in her hands while surreptitiously glancing around the set over the lid of her espresso. As always, people were bustling to and fro, setting up for the next scene while the actors took a break, the noise of shouted directions and moving pieces covering the conversations all around her. Most of her co-stars were getting ready for filming to resume, some reading over their lines just like her while others joked around in character.

She shouldn’t say ‘others’ like there was more than one. Although a talented actor in her own right, Yang Xiao Long threw herself into roles a bit too vigorously for Weiss’ tastes, constantly keeping up a loud, boisterous, and downright grating attitude even when the cameras weren’t rolling. The blonde mellowed out considerably once they were away from the set but, even with all the requisite noise for installing a secret lair where an office space was a few minutes prior, she could still hear Yang’s voice rising above the din. Dealing with it on set was easy enough considering they didn’t share many scenes one-on-one and the presence of other characters kept the characters from holding the spotlight but the longer filming went on, the more it bothered her for…  _other_  reasons.

Finally, when blue eyes quickly lifted to scan around, Weiss found her co-stars suitably distracted, the director engrossed in yet another argument with the producer, and everyone else too busy with their own tasks to notice if she slipped away. By her estimates, she had ten minutes before she’d be needed on set, and she was going to  _take_  them. Leaving her copy of the script and her coffee behind, the woman quickly left the set, ducking behind a scaled down version of the city’s skyline to reach the backlot. Although today’s filming involved most of the major players in the show, a few were notably absent and waiting in their trailers to see if they would be able to get around to other scenes. Which was perfectly fine, Weiss thought with a little smile on her lips as she took another glance around before sneaking into the trailer marked ‘Blake Belladonna’ and locking the door behind her. Her sister would probably scoff at the lengths she took to ensure their relationship remained a secret but Weiss firmly believed their private lives should remain just that.

However… there were some notable downsides _._

“Blake, what are you doing?” A frown curled her lips as the mischievous intentions she’d had dried up in the blink of an eye.

Her girlfriend of nearly three years- whom she’d started dating before they were cast in their respective roles- perked up, leaning away from her laptop to twist in her chair and look at her. “Nothing?”

“You’re looking at fanart again,” she said, the accusation holding only a little of the venom she could feel building behind her tongue, stepping up to peer over her girlfriend’s shoulder. Sure enough, the entire screen was filled with depictions of Blake’s character, both in and out of costume. Considering the show itself revolved around the lives of masked superheroes with mundane day jobs, there was a fair mixture of leisurely pictures with varying wardrobes alongside action scenes with the character’s alter ego. Now, normally, she would be completely fine with a little indulgence in vanity- she liked scrolling through fanart of her own character, after all- but this particular search turned up only one specific subset of pictures involving Blake’s character: ones that  _also_  featured Yang’s character.

Apparently, fans of the show- as fans often did- placed nearly every character in some romantic relationship or other, regardless if it was depicted in the show or not. And the ones who enjoyed ‘shipping’ Blake with Yang? They were certainly… prolific.

“Aw, you’re pouting.” Blake pointed out, getting out of her chair to approach the other woman.

Not that Weiss was making it easy, of course; crossing her arms over her chest, she turned away slightly, tearing her gaze away from the screen. “I am  _not_  pouting.”

“Lying doesn’t suit you, Love.” Her girlfriend chuckled, wrapping her arms around the woman’s smaller form. Not only was Blake taller, now she was acting  _smug_  as she continued to tease. “Does it really bother you that much?”

“What? Is this a  _bad_  time to tell you I’m allergic to 'bees’?” She returned, sparing another short glare at the computer screen. Normally, she’d admit using such a clever term to refer to the fictional relationship between Blake’s and Yang’s characters nothing short of amusing, but years of being confronted with enthusiastic fans gushing over the 'ship’ had soured her perspective.

“Now you’re just being ridiculous.” Blake chuckled, pulling her into a hug despite her reluctance and pressing a kiss to her cheek. “You know I only have eyes for you.”

“I know,” she replied, relaxing into her girlfriend’s embrace. It was rather silly, wasn’t it? Getting worked up over other’s perceptions of fictional characters? The frustration was just an irrational response compounded by the discreet nature of their relationship. Perhaps she should just take Winter’s advice and stop trying so hard to keep the paparazzi out of her personal life. It certainly wasn’t doing her any favors. “Maybe we should just go public. Let the tabloids have more than just speculation- something concrete.”

“We could do that, but it won’t stop the fans.” Blake gave her a rueful grin. “We could shout it from the rooftops, put it in the show, and invite everyone to the wedding. Some people will  _still_ want to see Yang’s  _character_  and mine together in a relationship. That’s their fantasy.” She shrugged. “Why worry about it? I prefer my  _reality_ , so let them have their fun. It makes them happy.”

“You’re right.” She conceded with a soft sigh. The woman had a point; the legitimacy of their relationship wouldn’t matter to many. She’d, perhaps, on a few nights when she’d had one too few things to do and one too many drinks in her, dove down the rabbit hole to understand what other people saw in the 'ship’, and many of them had legitimate, positive reasoning behind their support. Who was she to begrudge them that?

“But do you know  _why_  I like looking at fanarts like these? The ones with Yang and I together?”

Weiss tilted her head back, looking up into her girlfriend’s smiling face. “No, actually. You’ve never explained your fascination with those other 'ships’.”

“It’s easier to appreciate the artist’s work when I’m not distracted,” Blake replied, leaning down to steal a kiss from her lips, a theft she was only too happy to allow. “If  _you_  are in the picture, though. Well, it’s hard to look anywhere else.”

“Now who’s being ridiculous?” She ducked her head, hiding the silly smile that came to her at hearing those words. Somehow, despite all the fawning praise over the years from being on various TV shows and movies, every compliment her girlfriend said seemed absolutely genuine and sincere.

Blake was probably the only person who could truly make her feel special and she loved the woman for it.

“I do like looking at fanart of us, though.” She continued, ignoring the charge laid against her in favor of nodding towards her laptop. “Hit the back button.”

This had all the markings of a trap. A prime opportunity to tease her about something or other but Weiss was willing to play along. Maybe, if she got it all out of her system now, they could enjoy the night once filming finished up for the day.

Reluctantly leaving her girlfriend’s embrace, Weiss stepped over to the laptop and did as requested, expecting the screen to fill with a similar array of pictures, except with her own character taking the place of Yang’s.

She was wrong.

She was  _very_  wrong.

“Sometimes, I like to play 'spot the difference’,” Blake said, sliding up behind her as she gawked at the images being displayed. True, this search turned up only the ones including her character and Blake’s, and she didn’t miss the little star icon in the corner identifying the page as a bookmarked favorite. However, they were decidedly…  _not_  safe for work, to borrow a phrase, and she’d intentionally avoided searches of this sort for fear of what she might find. Her girlfriend, apparently, had no such reservations. “They can only guess at things I  _know_ , and I find it a little… amusing.”

Weiss shivered as the words were whispered into her ear, Blake’s hands resting on her hips for a moment while she pressed into the smaller woman’s back. Blue eyes fluttered shut when a kiss landed just below her ear, prompting another shudder.

“Other times? Well, I have to admit.” She chuckled, fingertips teasing along the hem of her skirt while the other hand slipped under Weiss’ blouse. “They’re rather creative and it gives me…  _ideas_.”

The last word, practically purred out and punctuated with a nip at her ear, destroyed what self restraint she might’ve been capable of dredging up. Weiss turned, hands burying into waves of midnight as she brought their lips together, backing her girlfriend up until they collapsed on the small couch set against the wall of the trailer.

Needless to say, she was late getting back to the set.


End file.
